NORTH EAST AND GOULBURN MURRAY
Part of the Farmer Group Rural Newspapers Covering Victoria Published since 1984
OCTOBER, 2014
PAGES 14-15
37 Rowan Street, Wangaratta 3677
$1 at newsagents
PAGES 16-19
Henty Wrap Up
Hay and Silage
PAGES 22-25
Livestock
GST debate on food heats up VFF members divided on GST extension and increase
FUTURE FARMERS: Daniel Ludeman, Zach Magnusson and Lachlan Ludeman were more than happy to spend their precious school holidays checking out the farm machinery at this year’s Henty Machinery Field Days. See pages 14 -15 for full story and more photos.
AS a state election looms over Victoria, the debate whether to place a goods and services tax (GST) on food is heating up with the movers and shakers within the Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) on opposing sides of the fence. The VFF is currently developing a taxation policy discussion paper that will be the basis for consultation with its members before adopting specific policies at the lobby group’s annual conference next year. The debate on GST has come about as a result of the Federal Government’s commitment to develop a white paper on tax reform over the next 12 months. VFF Farm Business and Regional Development Committee chairman, David Jochinke, said that the debate on GST is only part of the group’s taxation review which will include all aspects of taxation including payroll tax, rates and “all things we in agriculture are exposed to”. “We are looking at all three levels of government; federal, state and local and exploring the most efficient way to collect, distribute and
BY JODIE FLEMING
jfleming@ nemedia.com.au
sustain funds. “One of the scenarios is the increase in GST and what it would mean and what increase in revenue can we gain. “Money has to be generated so we need to decide what is a fair and unfair tax. “The VFF strongly supports a government policy and we want to ensure that money is used appropriately and efficiently and we don’t want it to be an un-useful tax or to stifle production,” Mr Jochinke said. He added that the lobby group didn’t necessarily have an opinion on whether GST should be applied to food, but it was going into the discussion with its members with an open mind. Next year the VFF will be running roadshows around the state seeking the opinions of its members on whether they want the GST broadened or increased before they sit down and draft the discussion paper. Continued page 6
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